Cavendish seals stage win with stellar finish as Wiggins closes in on Tour title

A sensational sprint finish saw Mark Cavendish claim the 22nd Tour de France stage success of his career in Brive-la-Gaillarde.

The 27-year-old from the Isle of Man equalled Lance Armstrong and Andre Darrigade in fourth place in the all-time rankings of Tour stage winners.

Bradley Wiggins, who retained a lead of two minutes five seconds at the top of the overall rankings as he seems ever more certain of becoming the first British winner of the Tour, played his part in leading Cavendish out at the end of the 222.5-kilometre route from Blagnac.

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But the world champion had to use all his skill to negotiate his way around Luis-Leon Sanchez and Nicolas Roche, who were making a last-ditch bid to avoid a sprint finish, and power to a stunning triumph.

Cavendish claimed his first Tour stage
success for Team Sky on stage two to take his tally to 21, but had been
at Wiggins' service until Friday's penultimate road stage.

The Manxman will have another
opportunity in Sunday's final stage, usually a processional finish,
until the Champs-Elysees, where the sprinters contest the stage win.

Cavendish is unbeaten on Paris' most famous boulevard, having won in 2009, 2010 and 2011 in the three Tours he has completed.

Wiggins
has vowed to work for Cavendish in the French capital, but began to pay
back his friend and team-mate's loyalty with a supreme showing in
Brive.

All out: Cavendish sprints for the line as he wins the 22nd stage of his career

The 32-year-old Londoner was seen punching the air in delight behind Cavendish as the Manxman celebrated the latest win of his prolific career. Cavendish won four stages in 2008, six in 2009, five in 2010 and five last year.

It was the fifth British stage success of the Tour and could be a sign of what to expect on the opening day of London 2012 a week on Saturday, when Wiggins bids to help Cavendish claim Olympic road race gold.

Wiggins now faces two further days' racing to become the first Briton to claim the yellow jersey on a permanent basis.

Wiggins is expected to enhance his hold on the maillot jaune in Saturday's 53.5km time-trial to Chartres.

David Millar (Garmin-Sharp) was in the early 16-man breakaway.

Millar, winner of stage 12 one week ago, was joined by Team Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen.The peloton were more than two minutes behind with 90km to go when a large black dog strayed into the road, causing a crash.

Can't catch me now: Bradley Wiggins (left) has all but wrapped up overall victory in the Tour de France

Philippe Gilbert was among the riders unseated by the animal and forcefully made a point to its owner, with BMC Racing team director John Lelangue pulling the rider away.

Boasson Hagen was first of the leaders to crest the summit of the day's penultimate climb, the category four Cote de Souillac, which came 41km from the finish. The peloton were 1:30 behind.With the main bunch closing to within a minute of the escape group, Lotto-Belisol's Adam Hansen and Jeremy Roy (FDJ-Bigmat) accelerated clear as they passed under the 20km to go marker.

On the day's final climb, Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) and Luca Paolini (Katusha) bridged the gap and went ahead with Hansen.

With the Team Sky-led peloton closing in fast, Vinokourov went over the summit first and riders began to accelerate out of the main bunch in a bid to foil the anticipated sprint finish.

Six riders - with Roche, Sanchez (Rabobank) and Andreas Kloden (RadioShack-Nissan) bridging the gap - had a 10-second lead entering the final 3km.

The group worked together to try to keep the peloton, with Team Sky at the front and Cavendish poised behind Wiggins, at bay.

A tight left-hand corner and a right-angled right slowed the pursuit before Wiggins went to the front, with Boasson Hagen taking over.

Stage is yours: Cavendish is now level with Lance Armstrong after his 22nd stage win in France

Cavendish left it late before coming off the Norwegian's wheel at 250 metres to go and moved up before a daring left to right move in the finishing straight saw him dart by Sanchez and Roche to record the latest victory of his stellar career.

The clear success also proved Cavendish is peaking at the right time for his tilt at Olympic glory next weekend.

Team Sky sports director Sean Yates had planned for a straightforward day, without his squad working too hard.

But Cavendish was keen to go for a sprint after limited opportunities thus far and it was Wiggins who was determined to make it happen.

Cavendish said: 'We came here with the goal of winning the yellow jersey and we're first and second on GC.

'Spirits are high. To be part of a team that's going to win the Tour de France is a massive honour.

'It did put my sprint chances on the back foot. Even today on the bus Sean wanted an easy day.

'I was like 'please just give me a chance in the sprint'. Brad jumped in and said 'we'll go for a sprint, we'll lead it out'.'

VIDEO: He would know! First British Tour de France stage winner comments on Wiggins chances